At the age of 83, Rachel Jeannette “Jeannie” Miller passed away peacefully on December 7, 2020.
Rachel Jeannette “Jeannie” Hayford was born on November 28, 1937 to Miles and Jeannette Hayford in Valentine, Nebraska. At 2, Jeannie and her family moved to Grandview, Washington where she attended grade school. They later moved to Sunnyside, Washington. At 20 years old, Jeannie met a handsome young man on leave from the Coast Guard. She married Donald D. Miller of Bickleton on December 13, 1958. They raised their four children, Melanie, Robin, Trudy and Donald Jr. “Dusty”, in Prosser, WA, on a cattle ranch just outside of town.
Jeannie was a jack of all trades. She was a bus driver for Prosser School District, a floral designer at The Prosser Greenhouse, and a grocery checker and bakery clerk at Evans’ Bros. Market. At 50, Jeannie went to cosmetology school and upon earning her license worked at Shear Delite. But foremost, she was a homemaker. She was an incredible mother and wife. She worked on the ranch and kept the home running smoothly. She built a home full of love and laughter. She was an avid reader, a Master Gardener, a beautiful seamstress, a top-notch cookie baker, a crafter, a musician, a bird watcher, and the absolute greatest grandma. (The kind of grandma that let's you have ice cream for dinner and cheered you on at every game and always, always hugged and kissed you more than once before you left.) Her faith always sustained her. She was raised in the Assembly of God Church and in 2003, she rededicated her life to the Lord and joined Grandview Baptist Church.
Jeannie is survived by her husband of 61 years, Don Miller, her four children and their spouses: Melanie and John-Paul Estey, Robin and Ray Krueger, Trudy and Parish Plumlee, Dusty and Angie Miller, her 13 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren and her brother, Dan Hayford. She was preceded in death by her parents Miles and Jeannette Hayford and her very good friend and sister-in-law Ramona Hayford.
A small service was held to celebrate the beautiful life that she built. The pallbearers were her grandsons: Frank Titus, John-Paul Estey, Wade Plumlee, Braydon Krueger, Donnie Miller, and Conner Miller. The honorary pallbearers were her granddaughters: Ashley Nill, Megan Jones, Carly Scholz, Lacy Hadley, Lauren Estey, Myanda Miller, and Faithe Miller.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alder Creek Pioneer Association Carousel Museum or the Alzheimer’s Foundation.